He’s just like Messi
Pep is so blown away by City’s derby hero Foden that he pays him the ultimate compliment...
PEP GUARDIOLA mentioned Phil Foden in the same breath as the great Lionel Messi as the Manchester City star’s game continues to scale new heights.
Foden’s double in Sunday’s 3-1 victory over Manchester United earned him more rave reviews, with his manager claiming the 23-year-old is the best player in the Premier League. But Guardiola then went one further, stating that Foden’s ability to take charge of matches in decisive moments reminds him of a young Messi.
‘The good players, you can play good but you have to win games, and I met the biggest ever player like Messi,’ Guardiola told TV2. ‘He (Foden) can win games. I don’t want to compare because Phil is not the level of Leo but he is winning games.’
The Catalan’s remarks were put to Foden, who replied: ‘No way! You can’t compare anyone to Messi, he is in his own world, but to hear that from the manager is really nice.’
Foden’s progression is underlined by his belief that City were rushing too much on Sunday after Marcus Rashford’s early stunner. It is a sign he has learned Guardiola’s principles, during a development which has led the likes of Brentford boss Thomas Frank to predict Foden will challenge for the Ballon d’Or.
Guardiola has regularly suggested his England star needs to learn the central midfielder’s craft of slowing matches down at the right time, while also being more mindful of defensive responsibilities.
Foden’s performances have gone up several notches since an error in the final minutes against Crystal Palace saw City drop two points in December. Key to winning the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia, Foden has scored 18 goals in all competitions this season — the best return of his career.
His 257 senior appearances are one ahead of Messi at the same age, though the Argentine outstrips him in terms of minutes, with the equivalent of almost 40 extra games under his belt.
Foden has been putting in the extra hours after training to perfect his finishing this season. After winning back his place following injury, having been reduced to a supporting role in last year’s Treble due to a loss of form, he has not looked back.
‘I think I’ve just grown as a player,’ he added, before revealing the inspiration behind his new celebration where he goes down on one knee and pretends to fire a gun.
‘It’s a joke from the lads — they say I shoot a lot in training and they call me the Sniper.’